Feinberg
Northwestern Medicine | Northwestern University | Faculty Profiles

News Center

  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Releases
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Menu
  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Releases
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Home » Keeping Summer Fun Safe
Uncategorized

Keeping Summer Fun Safe

By medwebJul 1, 2004
Share
Facebook Twitter Email

July 9, 2004

Keeping Summer Fun Safe

Summer, with its warmer temperatures and sunny skies, entices everyone to get moving and enjoy the outdoors. While boosting activity levels can increase summer fun, the season presents hazards to personal health and safety if one does not exercise caution.

“Active people are generally more susceptible to a wide range of injuries,” says James G. Adams, MD, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “At this time of the year, we commonly see patients with broken bones from falls and crashes while jogging and bike riding, burns from outdoor grills, and alcohol intoxication, to name a few health problems.”

A visit to the emergency room can put a damper on summer plans. So before the next backyard barbeque, beach outing, open-air concert, or late night clubbing excursion, keep in mind these tips to keep you healthy, safe, and happy:

* Grill with caution and good sense. For example, spraying lighter fluid on heating coals can be a recipe for disaster as well as applying alcohol-based lotion right before tossing your shrimp on the “bar-bee.” According to Dr. Adams. “These types of lotions can ignite your skin.”

* If you get your exercise biking, running, or rollerblading, be on the defensive especially in traffic. “Follow the rules of the road, ride slowly in crowded areas, and anticipate turning cars or opening car doors,” says this professor of emergency medicine. “Always wear helmets and wrist guards.”

* Never dive head first into a lake, pond, or unfamiliar body of water. “During the summer months, people will drown or become paralyzed from diving accidents,” notes Dr. Adams. “While rare, these are tragic occurrences.”

* Drink alcohol in moderation. Sports drinks, water, or juices serve as a good substitute. “You will feel better, have more energy,” says Dr. Adams, “and avoid injury.”

* Wear sunscreen all the time. To protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher; reapplying sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or strenuous activity; and avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the strongest.

And last but not least: smile, and have a good time. After all, summer only comes around once a year.

Share. Facebook Twitter Email

Related Posts

Mar 29, 2023

Adolescent Sexual Health Program Receives Funding for Social Marketing Campaign

Mar 29, 2023

Lurie Cancer Center Receives Merit Extension from NCI

Oct 20, 2021

Drug Combination May Reduce Risk of Leukemia Relapse

Mar 26, 2020

Comments are closed.

Latest News

Medical Education Day Celebrates Mentorship and Equity

Sep 29, 2023

Mapping Neural Activity Patterns and Odor Perception  

Sep 28, 2023

Lloyd-Jones Announces He is Stepping Down as Chair of Preventive Medicine

Sep 27, 2023

Small, Implantable Device Could Sense and Treat Cancer

Sep 26, 2023

Gene Linked to Glioblastoma Stem Cell Self-Renewal and Immunosuppression

Sep 26, 2023
  • News Center Home
  • Categories
  • Press Release
  • Media Coverage
  • Editor’s Picks
  • News Archives
  • About Us
Flickr Photos
20230927_MedEdDay_Sargent_6
20230927_MedEdDay_Sargent_3
20230927_MedEdDay_Sargent_1
20230927_MedEdDay_Posters_Patel_2
20230927_MedEdDay_Posters_Patel_1
20230927_MedEdDay_Posters_Panko_1
20230927_MedEdDay_Posters_4
20230927_MedEdDay_Posters_3
20230927_MedEdDay_Posters_2
20230927_MedEdDay_Posters_1
20230927_MedEdDay_Awards_6
20230927_MedEdDay_Awards_5

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

RSS Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr YouTube Instagram
Copyright © 2023 Northwestern University
  • Contact Northwestern University
  • Disclaimer
  • Campus Emergency Information
  • Policy Statements

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.